Cambridge InsideOut - December 6, 2016
Potential Topics:
1) The Berkshire Street Fire
City of Cambridge to Host Fire Recovery Resource Center; Buildings Sustain Serious Damage
Residents Displaced by December 3 Fire Encouraged to Register with Red Cross of Massachusetts
Dec 4, 2016 - Three buildings are being torn down in Cambridge and at least one other will be partially razed for safety reasons. The Dec 3, 2016 fire in the Harrington/Wellington/East Cambridge neighborhoods caused significant damage to six buildings, and fire or water damage to at least five others.
As of 3pm, 48 displaced families, representing 104 individuals, have registered with the Red Cross of Massachusetts. There may be more families and individuals that have not yet registered and the City is strongly encouraging all displaced individuals to register with the Red Cross by calling 800-564-1234 or by coming to the City’s Fire Recovery Resource Center at City Hall.
The first step in receiving assistance from the City is to contact and register with the Red Cross of Massachusetts.
On Mon, Dec 5, from 8:30am-8:00pm and Tues, Dec 6, 8:30am-5:00pm, the City is hosting a Fire Recovery Resource Center on the 2nd floor of Cambridge City Hall, 795 Mass. Ave. Impacted residents can meet with representatives from the City of Cambridge, American Red Cross, Commonwealth of Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency, Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Division of insurance, Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Division of Transitional Assistance, Housing and Development, Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Department of Public Health Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Department of Mental Health, National Organizational Voluntary Active Disaster, and Riverside Community Care.
The public can donate to the Mayor’s Fire Relief Fund online at www.cambridgema.gov/firefund or by sending a check to:
Mayor’s Fire Relief Fund
Cambridge City Hall
795 Massachusetts Avenue
Cambridge, MA 02139
While greatly appreciated, the City is urging people to hold off on donating food, clothing or material goods at this time. Should this change, an announcement will be made in the media and on the City’s website and social media outlets.
A number of street closures will remain in place in Cambridge. The following streets have no access for pedestrians or vehicles:
- Berkshire Street – from York Street to Plymouth – indefinite
- Plymouth Street – Cardinal Medeiros Ave to Berkshire Street – indefinite
- Vandine Street – Cardinal Medeiros to Berkshire Street
- York Street – Willow Street to Berkshire Street
Residents impacted by the fire can call the City’s dedicated phone line, 617-349-9484, with questions regarding the fire or recovery assistance.
City Encourages Families and Individuals to Register with the Red Cross of Massachusetts
Mayor’s Fire Relief Fund Accepting Online Donations
Dec 4, 2016 - The City of Cambridge is encouraging displaced families and individuals impacted by the December 3, 2016, fire in the Harrington/Wellington/East Cambridge neighborhoods to contact the Red Cross of Massachusetts to register for assistance.
“The most important first step displaced families and individuals can take is to register with the Red Cross of Massachusetts,” said Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager.
Individuals can register by calling the Red Cross at 800-564-1234 or by stopping by one on of the following drop-in sessions:
- Sun, Dec 4, from noon - 6pm at the Frisoli Youth Center, 61 Willow Street;
- Mon, Dec 5, from 8:30am until 8:00pm on the 2nd floor, Cambridge City Hall, 795 Mass. Ave.; or
- Tues, Dec 6, from 8:30am to 5:00pm on the 2nd floor, Cambridge City Hall, 795 Mass. Ave.
The key first step that needs to occur for the City to assist and communicate with the impacted families and individuals is for them to register their information with the Red Cross.
Members of the public can donate to the Mayor’s Fire Relief Fund online at www.cambridgema.gov/firefund or by sending a check to:
Mayor’s Fire Relief Fund
Cambridge City Hall
795 Massachusetts Avenue
Cambridge, MA 02139
The City appreciates the numerous offers for volunteers and donations of physical assets; however, what is needed most is donations to the Mayor’s Fire Relief Fund. The City is currently not accepting physical donations.
2) Speed Limit on City-Owned Streets Being Reduced to 25 MPH
City of Cambridge implements component of Vision Zero Initiative
Dec 2, 2016 − On Thurs, Dec 8, 2016, the speed limit on City-owned streets in the City of Cambridge will be reduced to 25 Miles Per Hour (MPH), unless otherwise posted. This is an important step towards improving the safety of everyone who lives, works and visits Cambridge, and is a significant component of the City’s Vision Zero Initiative.
Speed is one of the most important factors in traffic safety; crashes that occur at lower speeds cause less injury. In fact, a pedestrian hit by a car traveling 40 MPH has a 1 in 10 chance of surviving a crash, while a pedestrian hit by a car traveling 20 MPH has a 9 in 10 chance of surviving. “By lowering the speed limit in Cambridge, we are prioritizing safety and making our City more walkable, bikeable and livable,” said City Manager Louis A. DePasquale.
“We know that lowering car speeds is one of the most important ways to protect our most vulnerable users and work together to achieve our Vision Zero goals,” said Joseph Barr, Director of Traffic, Parking, and Transportation. “I encourage everyone who travels in Cambridge to take their time as they move through the city; by staying under 25 MPH you’ll be keeping all of our citizens safer and be able to better enjoy our beautiful city.”
The Cambridge City Council approved the new lower speed limit reduction on November 7th, by accepting Sections 193 and 194 of the Municipal Modernization Act. These sections grant municipalities the right to lower speed limits in thickly settled areas and to create 20 MPH safety zones. The City will be posting the new speed limit at the City line at various locations, as permitted by State law.
With this change, Cambridge will be joining neighbors like Boston, Somerville, and Arlington that are making the whole region safer by creating a 25 MPH zone within the inner core.
For additional information contact Brooke McKenna, Assistant Director for Street Management, at bmckenna@cambridgema.gov or 617-349-4723, or visit www.cambridgema.gov/visionzero.
3) Notable Notes - Weddings, Births, and other announcements
Participatory Budgeting VOTE: December 3-9, 2016! - started Saturday and continues through this Friday
Do you live in Cambridge? Are you at least 12 years old? Then come out and vote between December 3-9 for your favorite PB projects and decide how to spend $700,000 of the City's capital budget!
Residents can vote online at pb.cambridgema.gov or in person at dozens of events around town. You do not need to be a U.S. citizen to participate in this process.
What's on the ballot?
Over 60 volunteer Budget Delegates worked hard this fall researching 548 ideas submitted by community members and developed 20 final proposals for the ballot. Voters can choose up to 5 of the following 20 projects. You don't need to rank your choices or do any math.
Universal Design: Playgrounds for Everyone! ($100,000)- Danehy Park: Fitness, Signs, Dog Park Lights & Scoreboards ($140,000)
- Shade and Wet Weather Canopies for Playgrounds ($146,000)
- Learn about Nature in the Port ($10,000)
- Cambridge Street Art Trail ($25,000)
- All-In-One Mobile Performance Stage & Art Space ($98,000)
- Lighting Landmarks: CHLS Gate & Sumner Statue ($45,000)
- Little Free Libraries for Children ($37,000)
- Bicycle Desks for Cambridge Students ($113,000)
- Wireless Speakers for Youth Centers ($25,000)
- Upgrade the Moore Youth Center ($80,000)
- Free Public WiFi in Columbia Park ($32,000)
- Kinetic Energy Tiles ($50,000)
- Solar-Powered Real-Time Bus Tracker Displays ($150,000)
- Building a Strong and Safe Bike Community ($114,000)
- Safer Crosswalks for Busy Roads ($104,000)
- Solar Power Shines! ($260,000)
- Hydration Stations in Four Locations! ($37,000)
- Safe Naps for Cambridge Preschoolers! ($4,000)
- (2-3) Level 2 Electric Vehicle Charging Stations ($30,000)
To learn more about each project and about the PB voting process, please visit pb.cambridgema.gov or contact us in the City's Budget Office.
Last week, the MBTA launched a survey to better understand the needs for late night MBTA service. This is an important step in ensuring the next iteration of late night service is done right, and is accessible to the population that might most benefit from it. The survey is available in several languages until Dec 16, 2016. For more information or to obtain printed surveys contact Tegin Bennett at tbennett@cambridgema.gov
Survey: www.mbta.com/nightbus
Cambridge Human Services Commission Vacancy
City Manager Louis A. DePasquale is seeking Cambridge residents interested in volunteering to serve on the nine-member Human Services Commission. The Commission advises the City Manager and the Assistant City Manager for Human Services on human services policy issues, needs assessment, and funding allocations.
Working in collaboration with the Department of Human Service Programs, the Commission also promotes activities that enhance the quality of life for Cambridge residents. Over the years, the Commission has responded to local needs by recommending Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding for a wide range of programs offered by the City of Cambridge and community agencies.
The Commission usually meets with the Assistant City Manager for Human Services on the second Thursday of each month, from 5:30-7:30 p.m., Citywide Senior Center, 806 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge.
For more information, contact Mike Payack at 617-349-6208 or mpayack@cambridgema.gov. Commission members serve without compensation. Residents who wish to apply, may send a letter of interest and résumé by January 11, 2017, to:
Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager
City of Cambridge
795 Massachusetts Avenue
Cambridge, MA 02139
Members Sought for Cambridge GLBT Commission
City Manager Louis A. DePasquale is seeking individuals to fill vacancies on the GLBT (Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender) Commission. Prospective Commissioners must either reside or work in Cambridge.
The mission of the Commission is to advocate for a culture of respect and to monitor progress toward equality of all persons with regard to sexual orientation and gender identity and expression. The Commission also monitors policies and practices that have a positive effect on the health, welfare and safety of all persons who live, visit or work in the City of Cambridge with regard to sexual orientation and gender identity and expression. Current projects include working with Housing and Health Care organizations who serve LGBTQ+ Seniors and Youth After School activities.
The Commission normally meets on the 4th Thursday of each month and Commissioners are expected to volunteer some time outside of meetings for various projects. Although it is not a requirement for application, it is recommended that applicants attend a Commission meeting to see how it operates; the next meeting is on Thursday, Dec. 1, from 6-7:30 p.m., at Windsor Street Community Health Center, 2nd Floor Conference Room, 119 Windsor St., Cambridge.
For more information about the Commission, visit www.cambridgema.gov/glbt. Minutes, and other information can be found there. Visit the Commission’s FaceBook page at: https://www.facebook.com/Cambridge.GLBT.Commission.
A Letter of Interest with a brief resumé should be sent via mail or e-mail by Monday, Dec 12 to:
Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager
City of Cambridge
795 Massachusetts Avenue
Cambridge, MA 02139
Ph. 617-349-4300
E-mail: citymanager@cambridgema.gov
All Cambridge Boards & Commissions
4) Comments on meetings of the Planning Board (Nov 29) and Ordinance Committee (Dec 1) on the Central Square Restoration Zoning Petition.
Central Square Restoration Petition (or here)
CDD memo to Planning Board re: Central Square Restoration Petition (written Nov 22 for Nov 29 meeting)
Dec 1, 3:00pm Ordinance Committee meeting on Central Square Restoration Petition - no agenda or other materials yet posted
Response to the “Central Square Restoration” Zoning Petition from the Cambridge Residents Alliance
Inflammatory Flyer distributed in The Port containing false statements re: Central Square Restoration Petition
Zoning Petitions - Past and Present
 Any business before the City Council this week pales in comparison to the devastation caused by the 10-alarm Berkshire St. fire on Saturday in the Wellington-Harrington neighborhood. In the midst of it all it was great to see Cantabrigians pulling together to help residents directly impacted by the conflagration. This is a neighborhood where people identify buildings by the names of the families who inhabit them - some for generations.
On the meeting agenda, here are some items of interest:
Order #1. That the City Manager is requested to report back to the City Council with suggested changes to Cambridge’s policy regarding advertising revenue that could help support the continuation and expansion of Hubway in the City of Cambridge. Councillor Toomey
The economic sustainability of Hubway may require additional advertising revenue or increased user fees (currently $20/month or $85/year). Or you could just buy a bike and a good lock.
Order #3. That the City Manager is requested to make the appropriate staff available to assist the Mayor’s Office in facilitating a community conversation about the roles and intersection of race, class, gender, and culture in Cambridge within the first quarter of 2017. Mayor Simmons
Mayor Simmons has organized such events in the past and does a pretty good job at it.
Committee Report #1. A communication was received from Donna P. Lopez, City Clerk, transmitting a report from Timothy J. Toomey, Jr., Chair of the Transportation and Public Utilities Committee, for a public hearing held on Nov 16, 2016 to discuss gradually increasing the parking permit fee and to consider other improvements to the program to help fund the City’s budget towards reducing vehicle miles traveled and to promote alternative forms of transportation.
This was the meeting where some city councillors (Mazen, Devereux) argued in favor of dramatic increases in the Resident Permit Parking fee. Basically, they would like to jack it up as high as they can politically get away with. Councillor Devereux wants to jack the fees up as a way of disincentivising automobile ownership - at least for those with lower incomes. She also noted that Uber does not have enough curb space to pull over and that this could be relieved by driving out resident parking from major streets. In a Twitter post recently she also expressed her desire to double Cambridge parking meter rates like Boston is planning to do in the Seaport District. Gee, thanks.
Committee Report #2. A communication was received from Donna P. Lopez, City Clerk, transmitting a report from Councillor Dennis J. Carlone and Councillor Leland Cheung, Co-Chairs of the Ordinance Committee, for a public hearing held on Oct 27, 2016 to discuss a zoning petition by the City Council to amend four sections in Article 19.000 of the Zoning Ordinance of the City of Cambridge.
Committee Report #3. A communication was received from Donna P. Lopez, City Clerk, transmitting a report from Councillor Dennis J. Carlone and Councillor Leland Cheung, Co-Chairs of the Ordinance Committee, for a public hearing held on Oct 27, 2016 to discuss a proposed amendment to the Municipal Code in Title 15 entitled “Buildings and Construction” by adding a new Chapter 15.22 entitled “Outdoor Lighting.”
Rather than get into the details of all this, I will simply note that it is so classically Cambridge that a proposal that was originally intended to limit light trespass into bedroom windows has now morphed into a showdown on the aesthetics of building signage and architectural lighting. It almost makes me yearn for the days of "spectacular lighting" such as the one adorning the Shell gas station on Memorial Drive or, even more spectacularly, the much-beloved Citgo sign overseeing the good fortunes of the Red Sox. - Robert Winters
Comments?
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6) Comments on the Nov 28 City Council Roundtable meeting on Cambridge's status as a Sanctuary City
 While the Orange Emperor prepares to assume the throne, Cambridge responds with symbolic acts of virtual warfare. I expect that the next two months will be dominated by discussions of Sanctuary Cities and declarations of our municipal virtue.
Here are the City Council agenda items that seem most noteworthy:
Manager's Agenda #3. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to an update on the drought conditions.
The drought persists, but things appear to be less dire than they seemed a month ago. The reservoirs are slowing gaining water and we have been able to use Cambridge water to some degree, so the cost of purchasing MWRA water is less than was projected.
Manager's Agenda #5. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to various projects and initiatives related to the City’s Bicycle Safety Work Plan.
City staff seem to be approaching this more thoughtfully than the "my way or the highway" approach suggested in recent City Council orders. For example, there is a substantial analysis of the pros and cons of completely revising the good plans already developed for Huron Avenue. Based on that analysis and the impacts associated with making major changes to the design at this point in construction, City staff does not plan to modify the layout of Huron Avenue.
There definitely are some modifications to street configuration and on-street parking that can be made for greater bicycle safety, but this is best done in conjunction with a thoughtful process involving all stakeholders - and not with the banging of drums. It is worth noting that at a recent City Council committee meeting on a possible increase in the cost of a resident parking permit, one councillor clearly stated that she hoped that by jacking the sticker price up sufficiently high it would lead to enough people giving up their vehicles so that parking could be eliminated from most or all of Broadway, Cambridge Street, Hampshire Street and Massachusetts Avenue. She especially liked that Uber vehicles would more easily be able to pick up passengers on these streets. Public process may be time-consuming, but it's far preferable to a dictatorial City Council.
Manager's Agenda #6. A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to the zoning amendments with recommended changes to the Inclusionary Housing Provisions.
Presumably, the zoning amendment process will now commence with referral to the Planning Board and Ordinance Committee. It will be interesting to see if the shifting economic forecasts associated with changes in Washington, D.C. will affect the view of how viable the proposed 20% Inclusionary Zoning percentage might be.
Charter Right #1. The City Manager confer with the City Solicitor on the possibility of allowing non-citizen Cambridge residents to vote in municipal elections without a home-rule petition. [Charter Right exercised by Councillor Cheung on Nov 7, 2016.]
Perhaps the juxtaposition of this with the Sanctuary City discussion may give this a boost, but I still think that individual cities and towns should not be setting their own policies in matters such as this. For a hundred years the standard has been that Citizenship = "Right to Vote", and a lot of us agree with that definition. I will again add that just about everyone is a citizen of some country and they likely still retain those voting rights even if they currently reside in Cambridge.
Order #3. That all Awaiting Report items on the Awaiting Report List on Nov 7, 2016 be placed on file. Councillor Cheung
Perhaps most of the slate should be wiped clean, but maybe councillors should be afforded the privilege of selecting a few or the more substantial requests for retention on the list. While they're at it, we could also use a little Fall Cleaning of some of the items that are On the Table collecting dust and going nowhere. The City Clerk will, I'm sure, appreciate the gesture.
Order #4. That the City Manager is requested to commit to funding any and all programs that may be in jeopardy should the federal funds affect the viability of these programs. Councillor Cheung, Mayor Simmons, Councillor Kelley
Order #5. That the City Manager is requested to forward a letter to Cambridge organizations and City Departments regarding the status of our Sanctuary/Trust Act City and what this means for working non-citizens and the resources available. Vice Mayor McGovern, Mayor Simmons, Councillor Devereux, Councillor Mazen
[References: 1985 Sanctuary City resolution 2006 Sanctuary City resolution Joint Statement by City Manager & Mayor Simmons]
Order #8. Nov 28th Roundtable/Working Meeting be changed to discuss Cambridge remaining a Sanctuary City. Mayor Simmons, Vice Mayor McGovern
As an exercise, let's separate out the substance of these Sanctuary City resolutions from all the other statements of conditions, causes, and virtue.
The essential clauses of the 1985 resolution are:
"The City Council wishes to clarify its desire not to expend City resources, beyond the requirements of federal law, in voluntarily assisting or cooperating with investigations of alleged violations of immigration law by Salvadorean, Guatemalan or Haitian refugees, or in gathering or disseminating information on the citizenship status of those residing in the City of Cambridge"; and
"RESOLVED: That the City of Cambridge not participate in any form in the compounding of injustice against refugees from El Salvador, Guatemala and Haiti or in the federal government's persecution of those, who in good faith, offer humanitarian assistance to the refugees"; and
"ORDERED: That the City Council declares it to be the policy of the City of Cambridge that, to the extent legally possible, no department or employee of the City of Cambridge will violate established or future sanctuaries by officially assisting or voluntarily cooperating with investigations or arrest procedures, public or clandestine, relating to alleged violations of immigration law by refugees from El Salvador, Guatemala or Haiti, or by those offering sanctuary"; and
"ORDERED: That no city employee or department, to the extent legally possible, will request information about or otherwise assist in the investigation of the citizenship status of any City resident, will disseminate information regarding the citizenship of a City resident, or condition the provision of City of Cambridge services or benefits on matters related to citizenship."
The 2006 resolution actually added little other than statements about how the Cambridge City Council at that time disagreed with a bill then working its way through the U.S. Congress.
Those were some pretty substantial statements in 1985, but they really aren't all that severe. In a nutshell, they basically say that the City of Cambridge won't carry out the work of the federal government in carrying out a policy with which the City of Cambridge has great disagreement. The federal government doesn't round up people who have failed to pay parking tickets while in the City of Cambridge, so this is, in some respects, just a statement that we'll do our jobs and the federal government can do their jobs.
What is insidious about the current situation is the threat of federal funds being withheld to any city choosing to not do the job of federal authorities. That's almost like saying that we're going to withhold your paycheck until you do your boss's job in addition to your own. Cambridge residents pay federal taxes (sorry, you can't claim the Peoples Republic of Cambridge as a sovereign state), so federal funding is really just a mechanism through which we get back some of our own money. What is most offensive is the manner in which the federal government attempts to micromanage local communities via the threat of withholding federal funds that they have extracted from residents of those same communities via taxation. This practice has been growing for years and is not particular to the latest dispute over Sanctuary Cities. Even President Obama threatened to withhold educational funds based on failure to reconfigure bathrooms, and there are plenty of other examples of federal authorities using taxation as a means of dictating policy.
So, the question I have is simply this: What aspects of Cambridge's Sanctuary City resolutions are actually in violation of federal law? Indeed, the last statement of the 1985 resolution states quite clearly that "the provisions of this Resolution shall be severable, and if any phrase, clause, sentence or provision of this Resolution is declared by a court of component jurisdiction to be contrary to the Constitution of the United States or of the Commonwealth or the applicability thereof to any agency, person or circumstances is held invalid, the validity of the remainder of this Resolution and the applicability thereof to any other agency, person or circumstances shall not be affected thereby."
Order #7. That the City Council go on record requesting that the Co-Chairs of the Ordinance Committee hold a hearing or hearings on the attached proposed surveillance ordinance, and that representatives of the ACLU be invited to this hearing or hearings to discuss the necessity of such an ordinance. Mayor Simmons
I'm not exactly sure who wrote the text of this proposed surveillance ordinance, but I'm pretty sure he wears a tin foil hat.
On the Table #7. The City Manager coordinate with the Finance Department, Cambridge Redevelopment Authority, and community stakeholders to outline a proposed system of governance, management, and stakeholder engagement for the Foundry, to be discussed in a public forum with the Council and community. [Charter Right exercised by Councillor Toomey on Oct 31, 2016.]
Committee Report #2. A communication was received from Paula Crane, Deputy City Clerk, transmitting a report from Councillor Nadeem Mazen, Chair of the Neighborhood and Long Term Planning, Public Facilities, Arts and Celebration Committee, for a public hearing held on Oct 6, 2016 to discuss the redevelopment of the Foundry Building.
The more I hear about this the better I feel about how the City and the Cambridge Redevelopment Authority came to this point. It seems as though every piece of real estate for which the City Council has some control has become a political football in a game in which All Great Things ride on the outcome. The Foundry is, at the end of the day, just another building. The City has lots of buildings serving community purposes, including multiple Youth Centers and all of the Community Schools programs. While everybody stamps their feet about The Foundry, where is the fervor about all of these other City programs and facilities? Perhaps the best thing would be to start viewing The Foundry as just another asset in an enlarged inventory of facilities. Maybe then we could start thinking less selfishly and more holistically. When was the last time the City Council and the School Committee looked at the bigger picture and asked if we're making the most of all of the City's assets?
Comments?
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8) Continuing Discussion of the Presidential Election Results, the Fallout.
What should we expect over next few years (federal government actions, political realignments, political movements)
THE MUNICIPAL SITUATION IN CAMBRIDGE
A Paper read at the Annual Meeting of the National Municipal League at Chicago, April 28, 1904
BY HENRY N. WHEELER, PRESIDENT OF THE LEAGUE
PRECEDED BY A PROGRAM OF THE WORK OF THE LEAGUE FOR 1904
[original PDF]
CIVIC CALENDAR
Mon, Dec 5
2:00pm The City Council's Human Services and Veterans Committee will conduct a public hearing to receive an update on the Homelessness Task Force; the creation of a Homelessness Trust Fund and the creation of sobering centers; update on an emergency cold weather plan for the homeless; and how the City and Police Department work with homeless enclaves in the city, including at the Route 2/ Route 16 intersection. (Sullivan Chamber)
5:30pm City Council meeting (Sullivan Chamber)
Tues, Dec 6
6:00pm School Committee meeting (Attles Meeting Room, CRLS, 459 Broadway)
7:00pm Planning Board meeting (2nd Floor Meeting Room, City Hall Annex, 344 Broadway)
General Business
1. Update from the Community Development Department
2. Adoption of Planning Board meeting transcripts
Public Hearings
7:00pm 110 Fawcett Street, Cardiac Arrhythmia Syndromes Foundation, seeks special permits pursuant to Sections 20.700 Medical Marijuana Overlay District, 4.35 and 20.70 Flood Plain Overlay District for a proposal to renovate an existing warehouse into a retail Registered Marijuana Dispensary.
8:00pm 605 Concord Avenue, Abodez Acorn Concord, LLC, seeks special permits pursuant to Section 19.20 Project Review, 6.44.1(g) Reduced Setbacks at Building for On Grade Parking, 20.95.1 Increase in Floor Area, 20.95.34 Waiver of Yar/Setback Requirements, 20.95.2(5) Height Increase, 20.96.3 Reduction in Open Space and 10;.40 General Special Permit Criteria for construction of Phase II of a mixed use development consisting of 49 residential units, ground floor commercial space and at grade and below grade parking. The project will also include minor expansion and modification of the existing Phase 1 project at 601-603 Concord Avenue. Public comment has been closed.
General Business
3. North Point, Building J/K and Landscaping Design Review
4. Kendall Center - MXD request to extend the special permit
Mon, Dec 12
5:30pm City Council meeting (Sullivan Chamber)
Tues, Dec 13
5:00pm The City Council's Economic Development and University Relations Committee will conduct a public hearing to discuss recent and anticipated development projects and commercial and institutional leasing in Harvard Square, and how such changes may affect the future of Harvard Square. (Sullivan Chamber)
Wed, Dec 14
8:00am Recycling Advisory Committee (Sullivan Chamber, City Hall)
Mon, Dec 19
5:30pm City Council meeting (Sullivan Chamber)
Tues, Dec 20
6:00pm School Committee meeting (Attles Meeting Room, CRLS, 459 Broadway)
Wed, Dec 21
5:30pm Cambridge Redevelopment Authority Board Meeting (Police Station, 125 Sixth St., First Floor Community Room)
[Meeting Agenda and supporting materials]
Wed, Jan 4
3:00pm The City Council's Ordinance Committee will conduct a public hearing on a petition by the City Council to amend provisions of the Zoning Ordinance related to Inclusionary Housing, including the insertion of new definitions into Article 2.000 and the substitution of revised zoning text for the current text of Sections 11.200 through 11.206. This hearing to be televised. (Sullivan Chamber)
Mon, Jan 9
5:30pm City Council meeting (Sullivan Chamber)